Drip valve for dry-pipe valves



May 31,1927.

E. E. CLARK DRIP VALVE FOR DRY PIPE VALVES Filed July 22, 1925 v /W/ 2% Q. 1 O s m 1 A0103 W W F v 4 n to 3 lnv enTor. m ECIQTK byfww! My valve, thereby, causing the water discharged into the neutral chamber to" build up rapidly a pressurean sald neutral cha1nber-wh1cl1 Patented May31pl927,

EZRA hasteg, or NnwroNvIL E;ilrassaezaosnms.

' 7 their vatvn'ronnnr-r rn'v ihvnsl Application 7 area .J'i1lyj2 2,

' This invention relates to improvements in drypipe valves such as those used in sprinkler systems and the pr ncipal Ob ect thereof is to'provide novel means for causing or permitting quick .closing-of'the drip valve leading from the neutral or intermed ate chamber} l v lilore-particularl-y, the invention relates to means operable by the force of the stream.

pt water which is projected from the Water inlet upon the initialopening movement of the water valve immediately to close the drip will force the air valve from its seat and aid in swinging the air and Water valves out of the waterway.

' A further object of the invention is to pro vide means for-accomplishing this'purpos'e which are located Outside of the waterway.

The invention is particularly butnot'nec-es- "sarily adapted for use in dry p pe valves in which theair valve is provided with" a circumferential flap of flexible material such as rubber which engages the air valve seat, and in which the Water valve is connectedto the air valve in" such a manner as to permit relative movement therebetween, so that when thepressure in thesprinklersystemis. reducedby the fusing of the sprinkler head,

V the water valve is'ipermitted to open-slightly before the air vfalye unsea-ted, thereby projeoting a stream of water laterally from the .water inlet. In such dry pipe valves the present invention comprises means located.

in the path ofthis laterally diverted stream which is adapted to-permitor to cause the ,closing' of the drip valve for the purpose 1 above defined. V 7

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following descriptionand the accompanying drawing, and will be part ularl'y pointed out in the claims. K a I i H y The drawing illustrates :a vertical sectional view of a dry vpipe valve :embodyinga "pref.

192e, seriarlioif zaizsg provided with an water Valve 7'. r

' The casing is stantially the same'plane as theplane of'the.

ture' illustrated herein'this plane is; inclined to the axis'of the :inlet conduit. The'air.

valve 9 ol circular r lm: and of considerg greater area thanthe watervalve, and y its periphery s provided wlth an externally projecting flap 10 lot flexible material} si'ich as riibber to engage the air valve seat 8 y The. flap 10 is secured'to the yalve clamping} ing- 1'- y this construction an air" tight I V I provided withanannulareir v valvejse'at 8,, W'h1e'h desirablylles in sub-' The 'upper end ofthe'conduit section inclined seat 6 jfor} watergvalveseat and in thelpar'ticular struc 3 contact'ot the air; ith th l -v g is insured. v y Y The a r valve preferably concave form; and has a j 1;: I12 "pro ecting ffr oin its under surfacefto whichlastndfi is-secjnied Q by a screw threaded connection Thefstud has a spherically convex man which seats I upona complementary sphericalsurf ace 1.5.

inthe central portion of the water valve-'7 The water valveZ;has an 'npwardlyjegrtendi mg annular rib 16whicl1 loosely e'ilelosestllez- 1 head-l4; ofthe stud: and is proyidjed Within 1 screw threaded periphery upon which a nut or cap; l8is mounted which provided withxan inwardly extendingflangevl fwhiqhjf, I vi overliesi'thehead 1 i otth'e stud. *The Hut. I

or cap 1.8 desirably "is providedwi'th 'one foii" more arms '20 by fmcans ofnwhich t; an be conveniently rotated. .By reason of "this a connection a limited relative mocking movement between .the,,-water ,valve and the ,airf

valve is permitted, 7 H a y The casing has an outlet 21 in axial afline- Inent with the inlet conduit and the valves are ,so hung thatwhe'n they are swluig from their seats anunimpeded waterway 'ispi zovided through thejcasmgh In the preferred construct-ionillustrated hereinethe air valve is provided atitsqlowler end with integral extensionzor' arm 22, Whichis pivotal'ly (con- I nected'by a vpin 23 120 the upper end .o-f; .a' I bifurcated link2 i, the lower end of whichis f zaci pivotally 'mountediuipon a pin 25 mounted in bosses 26 extending'fromfthe curved-niterior wall 27; ofthe casing which 'iorins'the 7 air valve seat lldinsure properfmo-ve ment of the. valvefla doublelink member 28' ispivotallyconnected by. pins 29 to the ufp- 'perportion ,oif.thevalve' and the sleevefiO,

which is integralwithzand connects the a drip valve tl The dry p'ipeval've construction above descrihed is 10:15 the general I;type disclo'sed'in'prior patents.

isipivotallyniounted upon a pin 31" c'arried V byfthe casing and'located below the an valve j seatv between the walls 27 and the extension of theinlet conduitf-{By reason or these .linkconnections the valves when sivung'epen will be guided into'such position thatb'oth. v, valves Wlll'bQ out of the uaterway through the. casing. Therair valve desirably isjpr'o- -o. .videdtvitli a presenting a shoulder I adapted to engagethe shoulder 34k oi alug pro ect1ng' inwardly I from the "casing Wlnch Twillgserve toarrest" the. n ovenient of the 1 c valveiivhen throWnfopen" and permit, it to 1 ren Way;

n in proper position out of tlie'n'ater- Th e"valves when fifliLlietl CllVlde the eas nginto an upperch-aniher which conti j Inunicates with the usual sprinkler system 1 in which, air: under sutficient pressure is in.-

t rodiiced to. holdfthe'air and Water valves 7 seated against. the" pressure vwhich pro duced loy-the ater inthe inlet CODdU1t,' and jj" "a neutral chamber 36 hichfisprovided with .a' ,dripiyalve port 37vcommunicating with the'atrnosphere so that the airin the neutral ,':'"hainlofer normally remains" at atmospheric pressure; A drip valve seat 38 isproyided with ahollow screw threaded stein which engages the Walls of the port, and upwardly extending arms 39 having attheir upper'end an integral ring l0 which acts as .a 'guide for In the present constructlon the "drip-valve fill, has anupwvardly extending stenr lQ which lsunited hya lost motion connection totlre armg'o'ta lever which nOrmaIlyhQlds the "-drip valve 41 iiropen position; Thelost motion connection illustrated herein cornprises an, enlarged slotted portieneg the slot of whiclrreceives thepin 4A mounted on bosses in thefend of a bifurcated arin of lever, the oppositearmjdoi which is en larged to provide a counterweight. acting normally to hold the valve. to open position.

'The counterweight'tdis providedflwith a projection 47 Which normally engages the shoulder of a l'ug 4t8projecting frorn the outer vall of section 3 of the inlet conduit. The counterbalanced lever is provided with an upwardly extending arm 49 having at its enda relatively Widevane 50'presenting a "concave surface 51, the centre of the curvature of which lies substantial1y iirthe plane; of the Water valve seat. This vancide'si ,ably is located upon the diametricallyltopi positeiside of the inlet pipe to the pivotal;

l 7 7 supports for 'the guiding links '24 and 28' @jVlllClldlI'QCt thermovement of the air valve and water valve to open position. 7

In the operation 'Of this device" a diminut on of pressure upon the air valvey caused by the leakage Of211FflO1l1t-he system When a sprinkler head opens perinits the pressure of thewater to raise the ater valve slightly fopen to rock the latch about its pivotal supwardly tance to enablethe dri jxelve to he "raised -from itss at before the {air valve. opens,

has the flexible peripheralfile-p; offthe air valve Will yield"'sufiiciently to permita liniited rocking movement before unseating the air valve. The lu'atervalve thertore will be raisedifroin its sentr at the :side nearest. the :vanefiO as this side is farthest from the pivotal connection ofthe valves to the casmg, The streain ot water which isthus dis i charged froin the inlet' conduit impinges upon the vanenO o lithe counterhalancing Y lever, thereby overcoming the'weight ofthe count erhalance, 1 thusrocking wthe' f lever permitting the drip valve 141 to seat. Continned movement of the lever under the the arni d5 of the leverto inove tothe lower Q ,"en'd-of theslot 43 inthe valve stenian'd'ivill positivelylieep the; valve upon it'sseat, :The force ofthe'strea n' of waterthus di chi, from the inlet conduit will "theref re quickly close thech ip x alve; and the continued discharge of Water into the neutral chain? berfWill build up a pressurein' it-n; "will. iactupon the under surface of the'ai valve and result in i'inseating the valv ,[and will move the air and waterlvalves from their 9 seatsout of the Waterway to one side ot' the casing. By reason of this construction, therefore; a more rapid closing movement of the drip valv'e is,elfeeted landai' quick opening of the Water'and air valvesinsured upon th'e opening of sprinkler head.

I i/order to prevent Water 'co'lun ning the usual counterweighted latchg52 ispivotally inountedupon afpinSS'V h 11 extends across v the neut 'al chamber andqis providedn'ith an 7 arm 53, Whichfivhen'the valveis closed; is) engaged by the innerwall'ot'a'lug 'oi\vh'icnextends V downwardly "frointhe air valve. 405

Theg latch S Q is also provided vith a heavy laterally extend ng arm 55 donning a" cou r. t terwei'ght adapted when the-air" valve is from its seat and sinn'iltaneously therewith to rotate the latch out of engagenientwith thelug upon the air valve; and-permitthe resetting of the Water and air -valvesrf lVhil'e the invention is disclosed herein as applied to a dry pipe valve i'const-ruction-in 150 florCe of the stream will cause thepine'fin I ters Patent, is: 1

which the air; valve has a'ieircumferential 'fiap of flexible material {which enables the water valve firstto be raised from fitss'eat,

itshould be apparent that the invention is applicable to other types-of dry pipe valves,

as thesimiiltaneous initial o'p'ening' oi such valves'would cause astream of water to be projected laterally upon a vane, or "other suitable device operable to close the drip valve quickly.

It will be obvious that-whereas the'drip valve in the present construction is so arranged as to close by its own weight upon the overcoming of the counterweight, other types of drip valve may be employed, or the drip valve located in the sidewall of the neutral chamber with mechanism so arranged that the force of the stream of water produced upon initial opening of the water I valve will close the drip valve. Itwill also 7 be obvious that'the drip valve may be positioned in other relations with respect to the water valve than that particularly illustrated herein,-as may be necessitated or desirable by other types of dry pipe valves.

It will, therefore, be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed hereinis of an illustrative character and is not restrictive of the meaning and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by ,Let-- 1. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing with an air valve anda water valve therein.

with valve seats for said'valves and having a neutral chamber between said valves, pro-.

videdwith a drip valve port, a drip valve;

for said port. and means operable by the force of a stream of water discharged upon initial opening of the water valve to effect a quick closing ofsaid drip valve.

'2. Adi-y pipe valve comprising a casing with an air valve an-da water valve therein with valve seats for said valves and having a: neutral chamber between said valves, pro" vided with a drip valve port, a drip valve for said port, and means located outside of by the laterally the waterway operable flowing stream produced by the initial opening of the water valve to effect a quick clos- 111g of said drip valve.

3. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing with an air valve and awater valve therein with valve seats for said valves and having a neutral chamber between said valves, pro- V vided with a drip valve port, a drip valve for said drip port, tending to close by its own weight, counterbalancing means acting normally to maintain said drip Valve in open position andmea'ns operable by the force of thest-ream of-water discharged upon initial opening of the water valve to overcome said counterweight, and to permit,

a quick closing of said drip valve.

dry pipe' valve comprising a casing, an QII'N'BJlVB and a water valve therein, with seats for said valves and having a neutral chamber betweensaid valves provided with. g

.a drip valve port-a drip valveiorwsaid port tending to closerby its own weigl'it," aycounterbalancedjlever normally holding said drip valve in open position, PlQVIdQClWVltli a vane lying inthe path'o'f theistream of 7 water discharged upon initial jopening of the water valve wlierebythe force of the stream will overcome said counterbalance and permit quick closing ofsaid dripvalve.

'5. A dry pipevalve. comprising a casing," an air valve anda water valve therein, with seats for said valves and having a neutral chamber between said valves provided with a drip valve port, a drip valve for said port tending to'jclose by its own weight,a lever. having one arm connected to sa d, dr p valve by a lost motion connection, a vcouiiterbalancing arm normally actingio hold said drip. valve in open position. and a vane on said count-erbalancing arm lying in the, no

path of the stream discharged upon initial opening of said water valve whereby'the force of said stream willefiect a. quick" closf I ing of said drip valve.

6. A dry pipe valvecomprising a casing having an air valve seat and a water inlet provided with a water valve seat, air and water valves operable when seated to, provide a neutral chamber between saidvalves,

a drip valve for. said neutral, chamber, means pivotally mounted at one side of said pr'ovide-d with a valve seat, an air, valve hav- 1 we} inlet to cause said air and water valves when opening to swing" to "one side of .the' water way, andmeansloeated at the opposite side' ing a, circui'nferentially projectinglfiap or" flexible material to engage said air valve seat, a water valve, 'means'connecting said I water valve and air valve to form; a loose.

connection operable to permit relative movement therebetween, said valves when seated PIOVlCllIlg a neutral chamber between said valves. a drip valve for fsaid chamber, means located ill Said neutral chamber operable by the force of" the stream of'waterdiverted laterally from said inlet by the initial open- I ing moveinent of the water v alvepermitted by the yielding movement of the "flexible circumferential flap of-the air valve before the unseating of said air valve to effect the quick closing of the drip valve whereby the building up or pressure in i said neutral chamber by the water discharged therein. will efi ective'ly a d' in swinging said valves out of the waterway.

1 ..8; A drypipe Valve: eomprisingja easing,

an SLIP-Valve and. a Water valve thereinwith seatls'for said valves, and having a neutral chambenbetween said valves provided with Gadrip port, afldrip VaIvetending to close by its own Weight, and having a vertical stem, a, counterbalanced lever h avingre 101st motion connection with saiddrip alve stem, 1 a vane nppnfsaid .eeunterbalzuilced lever lying in the path of thestreain of ater dischargednpon initial openingof the Water Valve Operable to. overcome the counterbalancingvweight ofsuid levcr'nnd pelijinit quick closing efthe di ip vaTne, a leteh to hold, said air 'valve open henit i s'lifted from itg s elat pivotally mounted o'n s aid 0218f i'ng independently of said- .dnip valve aneehauponfthe Opening of the airwalve to Swing said latch to operative, position 'i'and means ting the latch;

In testimony whereof, I have signed name to this speei-fieati01'1.

f "EZRA 'CLARK; j 

